76ers vs. Celtics Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year
Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been present in the NBA Playoffs 54 times in 76 seasons while the Boston Celtics did it 62 times in their 79 seasons. Between the two they total 21 of the 78 NBA championships (26.9%).
They have faced each other in 22 playoff series, 7 of them won by the 76ers and 15 by the Celtics.
On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the 76ers and the Celtics advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.
Summary of Their Playoff History | ||
Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |
| Playoff Appearances: | 54 (71.1%) | 62 (78.5%) |
| Playoffs Missed: | 22 (28.9%) | 17 (21.5%) |
| NBA Titles: | 3  | 18 |
| Finals Lost: | 6 | 5 |
| All-time Playoff Record: | 250 wins 238 losses (.512) | 429 wins 320 losses (.573) |
| Total NBA Seasons: | 76 1949-50 to present | 79 1946-47 to present |
Head-to-Head in Playoffs | ||
Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |
| Total Series | 22 Playoff Series | |
| Series Won | 7 1954, 1955, 1956, 1967, 1977, 1980, 1982 |
15 1953, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1981, 1985, 2002, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2023 |
Teams Comparison | |||||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 2025 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2024 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |  NBA Champions | |||
| 2023 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| 2022 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| 2021 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2020 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 2019 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2018 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| 2017 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 2016 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2015 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2014 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2013 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2012 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| 2011 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2010 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 2009 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2008 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions | |||
| 2007 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2006 | DNQ | DNQ | |||
| 2005 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2004 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2003 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 2002 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| 2001 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ | |||
| 2000 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ | |||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics |
| 1999 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ |
| 1998 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1997 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1996 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1995 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1994 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1993 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| 1992 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Semis |
| 1991 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference Semis |
| 1990 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round |
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 1989 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | |||
| 1988 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 1987 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| 1986 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | NBA Champions | |||
| 1985 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1984 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions | |||
| 1983 | NBA Champions | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| 1982 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1981 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1980 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| |||||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 1979 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ | |||
| 1978 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | DNQ | |||
| 1977 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | |||
| |||||
| 1976 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions | |||
| 1975 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 1974 | DNQ | NBA Champions | |||
| 1973 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 1972 | DNQ | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | |||
| 1971 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ | |||
| 1970 | Lost Eastern Division Semis | DNQ | |||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 1969 | Lost Eastern Division Semis | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1968 | Lost Eastern Division Finals | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1967 | NBA Champions | Lost Eastern Division Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1966 | Lost Eastern Division Finals | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1965 | Lost Eastern Division Finals | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1964 | Lost Eastern Division Semis | NBA Champions | |||
| 1963 | Lost Eastern Division Semis (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| 1962 | Lost Eastern Division Semis (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| 1961 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1960 | Lost Eastern Division Semis (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics | |||
| 1959 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1958 | Lost Eastern Division Semis (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost NBA Finals | |||
| 1957 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| 1956 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Semis | |||
| |||||
| 1955 | NBA Champions (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1954 | Lost NBA Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1953 | Lost Eastern Division Semis (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Finals | |||
| |||||
| 1952 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Semis | |||
| 1951 | Lost Eastern Division Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | Lost Eastern Division Semis | |||
| 1950 | Lost NBA Finals (as Syracuse Nationals) | DNQ | |||
| Playoffs | Philadelphia 76ers | Boston Celtics |
| 1949 | - | DNQ |
| 1948 | - | Lost First Round |
| 1947 | - | DNQ |